Israel

Vocab• Drip Irrigation – A type of irrigation that lets

precise amounts of water drip onto plants from pipes.

• Potash – substance used in explosives and fertilizer that is extracted from the Dead Sea.

History…….Future

• Became and independent nation in 1948

• When the first Zionist settlers arrived – the ‘good’ land was already being used. Much of the land available was swamp or desert.

• Rapid development has led Israel to become of the most technologically advanced countries in the world.

Environmental Change

• “If the state does not put an end to the desert, the desert is likely to put an

end to the state.”• Technology• Mining the Dead Sea• Encouraging Migration to

the Desert• Economic Activities

Technology

• The Negev desert covers over ½ the country.

• 100 mile long pipeline / canal / tunnel system called the “National Water Carrier”

• Takes water from the Sea of Galilee through the system to irrigate the Negev.

• Drip irrigation• The downside…….

• The success of agriculture has increased demands for water and it has strained the limited supply.

• Israel has devised ways to save water– Treat and reuse industrial

wastewater– Store groundwater run-off.

Mining the Dead Sea

• Potash• Table Salt• Bromine

Desert Migration

• Difficult to attract people to the desert – away from the modern cities. So new towns offered advantages:– High pay, extra time off, low rent…..

“ I came to Arad because I was offered a high salary, a good flat, and low taxes….This is a good place to live, work, and put money aside.” (Zvi)

“For him it is a good place to work and live. For me, it is the desert….i wish he could find a job back in Haifa.” (Rebecca)

Economic Activities

• Agricultural and Chemical industries were successful – but not enough for jobs for everyone.

• With help of grants and loans Israel’s well educated scientists and engineers applied skills to make Israel a world leader in high tech products like medical lasers, aerospace equipment and electronics.

• Israel also increased service industries – education, housing, tourism…..

Diverse Cultures

• Israel’s Jews– 80% of the population – Great variety of

backgrounds – from all over the world.

• Israel’s Arabs– 20%– Includes Christians,

Muslims, and Druzes (independent people who broke from Islam in 1200’s.)

Israel’s Jews• Ashkenazi

– Migration before 1948 was from Europe

– Israel was established with a modern Westernized character • Sephardic

– After 1948 more than ½ the immigrants were from Southwest Asia, North Africa and Asia

– Poorer and less education than the rest of Israel's citizens

– Worked as unskilled labor and earned less than the European Jews

– Had less influence in gov’t

Differences in politics as well…one extreme to the other – and everything in between

• Ultra-Orthodox– Strictly adhere to

Jewish tradition and believe that Israel should be governed accordingly.

• Non-religious– Believe that religion

should NOT dictate the running of the state and people’s daily lives.

Israel’s Arabs

• Israeli Arabs are citizens of Israel with al the same rights

• However, many believe that they are discriminated against in education, employment and other areas

Cooperation and Conflict

• 1947 – Palestine divided into two states

• Arabs attacked and LOST– Palestinians fled to

neighboring Arab countries

– Jews were expelled from Arab countries and resettled in Israel.

Gaza Strip & West Bank…

• Many Palestinians took refuge in the Gaza Strop (ruled by Egypt) and in the countries of Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

• 1967 new conflict between these countries and Israel.

• Israeli troops took control of the West bank in Jordan and the Gaza Strip.

• By this time, more than one million Palestinians were living permanently as refugees outside the area that was once their country, Palestine….many dreaming of returning to their homeland and establishing an independent Palestinian state….

The Conflict Continues…

• 1960’s – the refugee camps became bases for the PLO – Palestinian Liberation Organization – the Palestinian's government in exile.

• PLO refused to recognize Israel as a country

• Demanded that Palestine be liberated and refugees be allowed to return home.

Government or Terrorists?

• The PLO extremists gained worldwide attention for their cause by:– Hijacking planes– Kidnapping and killing Israeli civilians– Conducting raids on Israeli communities.

Israel's response…• Israel believed that the

PLO were terrorists whose goal was to destroy the Jews.

• They began to conduct raids on P LO bases in Arab countries – like Lebanon.

• In 1982 Israel invaded Lebanon in an attempt to crush the PLO.

Meanwhile….

• More and more Israelis were settling in the occupied territories – the West bank of Jordan and the Gaza Strip of Egypt.

• Palestinians in those places despaired of ever gaining a homeland and support for the PLO grew.– Demonstrations– Strikes– Violence

1970’s and 1980’s• Much violence and blood

shed.• Both sides viewed the

possibility of peace with suspicion.

• 1987- Palestinians in Gaza began throwing rocks at Israeli solders and an uprising and more violence began

• 1991 piece talks resumed in Madrid

Peace talks….

• Israel talked to Palestinians from the occupied territories but refused to talk to the PLO…eventually letters were exchanged formally recognizing each other and the promise of negotiations began….

Peace Stalls….

• Israel handed over control of the Gaza and West Bank cities.

• Many Jews who had settled there opposed a Palestinian state.

• A series of terrorist attacks damaged Israel's faith in the Palestinian government.

Assassination…

• A right-wing Israeli assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in November 1995.

• Israel elected a new government that mistrusted the peace agreement.

• Since then there have been several peace talks – but they have repeatedly broken down.

• And so it continues……

The End